Toy book



Nov. 22, 1949 J. s. MEYER 2,489,240

TOY BOOK Filed May 1, 1948 INVENTOR. Jer'ome 5: Meyer Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE 3 Claims.

My present invention relates to display devices and finds a preferred application to books for amusement, educational or advertising purposes.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a display for amusement, educational or advertising purposes which inherently involves participation by the observer by incorporating the image of his face in the display, thus to arouse interest by imparting personalized appeal and animation.

Another object is to provide a display of the above type, which requires no mechanism and in fact may be incorporated in a book, pad or tablet of conventional external appearance.

In its broader aspects, the invention involves a pictorial representation on a reduced from natural scale and interrupted at an area thereof which exposes to view thereat a reducing mirror so that the reduced image of the observers face reflected by such mirror will complement and complete the pictorial representation.

In a preferred application a multiplicity of alternate pictorial representations may be exposed to view at will with respect to a single convex mirror. These pictures may be associated in a book, pad or tablet, the cover or backing of which mounts the convex mirror and the apertures through which sheets When lying against the backing are in registry with such mirror.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an open book incorporating the invention,

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing turned over the sheet shown exposed in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragment on a larger scale of the page exposed on Fig. 2, showing the mode of use.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on a larger scale taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the backing in another application, and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the mode of use of the latter.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, there is shown an application of the invention to a childrens book, the general structure of which is conventional in that it incorporates a stiff front cover In, a stiff back cover l l and a binding It in which are bound a plurality of leaves or sheets l3.

One of the covers, preferably the front cover I0, according to the present invention incorporates a reducing mirror, preferably a convex circular mirror M, which may be of sheet metal though it can be of glass if desired. This mirror, which is much smaller than the cover, is permanently affixed to the cover in any suitable manner, but preferably is so disposed that it does not protrude beyond the inner or exposed face of the cover and does not interfere with fiat closing of the book.

In a preferred embodiment the convex mirror M is of sheet metal and has a fiat rim I4 clamped between two plies l 5 and I6, making up the rela tively stiff backing or cover, the base ply [5 being imperforate and the inner ply I5 having a circular aperture I! therethrough of the diameter of the convex portion of the mirror and thus overlapping, in the manner of a bezel, the fiat rim ll of the mirror. If desired the inner ply it may be undercut to accommodate the thickness of the mirror rim, but this is not necessary especially where the mirror is of sheet metal. Upon cementing the two plies together as at ill the mirror is securely maintained in place. Desirably the thickness of the inner ply it is such as to accommodate the entire convexity of the mirror so that there is no protrusion of the latter.

Each of the leaves of the book has an aperture I9 therethrough, said apertures being in registry with each other as shown and registering with the mirror, so that when any selected leaf is in exposed or reading position against the mirror cover [0, the mirror will be exposed to view through the registering, superposed apertures H) of the various leaves superposed over said open front cover.

Each leaf has upon that face thereof through which the mirror can be seen, that is, on the back face thereof in the embodiment shown, a pictorial representation 2!) which may be pasted, or photographed but ordinarily is imprinted thereon. The continuity of this pictorial representation is interrupted by the aperture l9 in the leaf and each pictorial representation is of such character that the reduced image of the face of the person or other creature looking at the mirror exposed to view through the aperture, when the sheet lies over the front cover will complete the pictorial representation.

It is desirable, as shown, for the aperture in each sheet to be oval rather than round with its major axis upright as shown, better to frame the reflected image of the human face.

In a childrens book the invention manifestly affords high entertainment value. By way of example, the representations in the book may include a wide variety of subjects fascinating to the child and in each of which the book aifords the intimate, personal, animated participation of the child. Thus he may see himself among countless other subjects as a locomotive engineer, an Eskimo, an Indian chief, a bronco buster, a football hero, sitting on a tigers or an elephants back, in the inside of a whale, as the man in the moon and in countless other relations.

In carrying out the invention in the applicaion to childrens books it is desirable to have imprinted subject matter on the front face of each leaf, which is correlated with and prepares the child for participation as part of the picture 29 seen when the leaf is turned. Thus, illustratively the description at 2! of the Montana Indian chiefv in Fig, l is followed by direction 22 to Turn the page and you will see- What kind of chief you will make the latter being imprinted .at 23 on the rear of the leaf next to the representation 29 of the Indian chief.

Another application of the invention is shown in Figs. 5 and6 in the form of a tablet or pad particularly useful for salespromotion or advertising. Here the padincludes a stiff backing 25 mounting the convex mirror 26 in the same way as does the cover in the other embodiment, the tablet having a plurality of leaves 2l'hinged as at128, desirably to the upper edge of the backing and each leaf having an aperture fie therethrough for registry with the mirror when the sheet lies against the backing 25. Each sheet has imprinted thereon the picture, illustratively of an article of merchandise such asa shirt and necktie 39, so that the observer will complete the picture by the reduced image of his face reflected by the convex mirror 26 viewed through one or more superposed apertures 29. He can obtain a vivid idea therefore of how the garment or article will look on his person.

Countless other applications of the invention will readily suggest themselves.

In some of the accompanyingclaims the Word backing has been used to designate the relatively stiffer sheet or plate which-mounts the mirror. This term is of course intended to describe the mirror support which serves as a backing for the leaf being viewed and thus the element in question, regardless whether it be used as a front cover or a back cover or what its precise relationship may be to the sheet or leaf superposed thereover and bearing the pictorial representation, or for that matter whether the sheets or leaves are separate and distinct from the mirror mount and selectively disposed directly thereagainst.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A display device comprising a cover, a plurality of hingedly mounted superposed leaves thereover each having an aperture therethrough, said apertures being in registry with each other, a convex mirror mounted upon said cover in registry with and for exposure to view through the apertures of any of said leaves in exposed position, said leaves having diverse pictorial representations on the exposed face thereof, the representation of each leaf being interrupted by the aperture'therethrough, the concealed face leaf having printed matter thereon correlated with he representation on the exposed face thereof as completed by the reduced image of the observers face viewed through the mirror.

2. A book of the character described, having a front cover, a back cover, a binding therebetween and a plurality of leaves held by said binding between said covers, said front cover having -a convex circular mirror of dia; eter much smaller than the cover, affixed thereto and exposed to view at the inner face thereof, each of said leaves having an aperture therethrough, each of said apertures being in registry with the mirror and therefore exposing the mirror to View when the book is opened to anyof the leaves against the front cover, each of said leaves hava pictorial representation on the back .face thereof interrupted by the aperture therethrough, the front face ofeachleaf. having printedznatter thereon correlated with the representation on the back face thereof as completed by the reduced image of the observersface viewed through the mirror.

3. A book of the character described having a front cover of twoplies, a convex mirror much smaller than the area of the cover having the convexity thereof wholly lodged within a. corresponding opening in the face ply and having a flat rim 0n the back ply by which the mirror is retained in place between the two plies,.said book having a multiplicity of leaves each of said leaves having an aperture therethrough in registry with the mirror when said leaf and the leaves ahead of it are superposed-over the cover and therefore exposing the mirror to vieW' through such apertures, each of saidleaveshaving a pictorial representation on the back face thereof interrupted by the aperture therethrough, whereby the representation on any of the leaveswill be completed by the reduced image ofthe observers face reflected from the mirror exposed to View through such aperture.

JEROME S." MEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 787,503 Engel Apr. 18, 1905 936,344 Myers Oct. 12, 1999 1,028,921 Wagner 'June 11, 1912 

